I know I am going off-topic with this one.I wonder why sentiment was not quite the same in Fedorov's case?

Fedorov held out for a good half-season rather than sign with the Wings and came back only because the rules forced him to. Plus Shanny's timing was better. Shanny left during an obvious changing of the guard. Fedorov wanted to leave when the fans perceived the Wings to be at the top of their game, and smack in the middle of a heated rivalry with Colorado, which at the time was swinging in favor of the Avs.

I feel Mr Brendan Shanahan has no more to prove to the city of Detroit and Red Wing Nation. Reference: 1996-2006. 3 cups is MUCH better than other players can boast, and that yes, there was a general changing of the guard, not only in Hockeytown, but from a league standpoint. The Eastern conference is full of high-scoring games this year, and the West is now full of defensive, trapping, low-scoring affairs.

Fedorov had the holdout (which I whole-heartedly blame HIM for) and then he wanted to go out west right after 2002.

Fedorov held out for a good half-season rather than sign with the Wings and came back only because the rules forced him to. Plus Shanny's timing was better. Shanny left during an obvious changing of the guard. Fedorov wanted to leave when the fans perceived the Wings to be at the top of their game, and smack in the middle of a heated rivalry with Colorado, which at the time was swinging in favor of the Avs.

The Wings had beaten the Avs and won the Cup the prior season.

Fedorov had made about 8.5 million total over the previous two seasons, and was arguably the best player in the league at the time. There were other guys making 8, 9, 10 million. Fedorov received a six year deal with a 14 million dollar signing bonus, 12 million dollar 1998 conference finals bonus, and two million per season base salary. Total contract value 38m, average per year 6.33m...

Fedorov only received a raise of about two million if you factor in his bonuses.

Consider that, if you average his contract over the six years incluidng bonuses, only in the first two seasons does he crack the top five salaries--after that, he doesn't even break the top ten. It could easily be argued he was better than his salary rank.

"I've never seen a warlock do that without his magic.""I once devoured a monk's soul. It tasted like chocolate."